The Tide Rises
by fembot79
Summary: At crossroads, Kate finds herself revisiting her past to take the next step. A one-shot follow-up inspired by ColieMacKenzie's "Inchoate"


**A/N**: This story is inspired by Nic's (ColieMacKenzie) hauntingly beautiful and amazing fic "**Inchoate**". Please read that first so you too can experience the delicious, delicious angst that inspired my response/follow-up.

To my Fic Sensei, Nic, thank you for inspiring, cheering, poking, prodding, beta-ing, circling back to cheering over and over again. Without you, I would never have hit publish. (Readers, please direct complaints accordingly)

* * *

I am forever walking upon these shores,

Betwixt the sand and the foam,

The high tide will erase my foot-prints,

And the wind will blow away the foam.

But the sea and the shore will remain.

Forever. ~Khalil Gibran

* * *

Kate stood alone, gazing out at the horizon, watching the sun's unhurried descent into the welcoming embrace of the ocean. Today it was a cool sapphire, that perfect blue that called to mind laughter and passion and eyes that crinkled with mischief. The surf danced over her bare toes as the gentle breeze caressed her cheek. She turned her face into the salty current, imagined another caress, another life long since gone, when she had come to this place on her honeymoon.

Those were happier times, full of promise and hope. She had married Castle on this day ten years ago. Dressed in her mother's wedding dress and his mother's earrings, their second attempt at a dream wedding that had seemed doomed from the start. Castle was slightly less formal, his tux ripped from one shoulder at the seams, still faintly smelling of smoke, hair slightly singed from the fire, a bandage over his broken nose courtesy of the airbag that had saved his life. His eyes full of adoration as he stared down at his bride. They had decided to forgo the traditional vows and made promises to each other, both serious -_mostly her_, and silly -_mostly him_, as they held hands and laughed at the sheer joy of finally, _finally_, becoming husband and wife.

The future was theirs for the taking and together they had planned to share everything life had to offer. He wanted to travel the world; make love to her on the beaches of Thailand, wake up to her awash in the wonder of the African Serengeti, make a giant Kate Beckett sized impression on every memory he might have had from his travels before her. She wanted them to be home to celebrate all holidays with their combined family and friends; especially Thanksgiving where dressing up had become a sacred tradition. They had both wanted more children; two she said, he said four so they compromised on three (the time-traveler had nothing to do with it) - it was all certain, or so they had thought.

But things didn't happen as they had planned. Things changed, things broke, the heartache sometimes beyond repair, the wedge too deep. They had burned so bright, a nova scorching everything in its wake, leaving nothing but the charred debris of the dreams they once shared. In the end, it turned lovers and partners into broken spirits merely haunting the same home.

Kate exhaled a shuddering sigh filled with pain and regret. What could she do but move on, find a new life and new dreams when the old ones seem shattered beyond repair? How could this beautiful place, with its verdant green coastline, eternity of azure blue sea and endless sands house the agony she now felt?

The man stood transfixed, watching from the edges of the palm tree line. He simply stared for a time to make sure his dreams weren't bleeding into consciousness. He was mesmerized by the dark-haired woman standing at the water's edge, gazing out towards the horizon as though she was waiting for something - or someone. She was an ethereal vision in her loose, flowing summer dress, her chestnut locks and brown-green eyes limned by the golden sun, a siren calling the wayward sailor to shore. It wasn't her looks that attracted him though; he had turned away many younger and equally beautiful women, mostly overzealous students hoping to pass his college exams. It was the dichotomy of obstinate steel and softness, strength and fragility, huntress and prey, which lured him. Even at some distance he was aware that she was different from any woman he would ever know.

At the periphery of her vision, Kate saw the man approaching; a lonely figure crossing the great divide. She had been aware of him standing there, staring; and had felt strangely unselfconscious about being observed. She looked at him and felt the instant spark of connection she had only experienced once before. He walked slowly towards her and they held each other's gaze. It felt like meeting a long lost friend - not a stranger on a strange beach.

Later, sitting at one of the many bars on the island, sipping the local cocktails, they began to talk. First general pleasantries; their hotels, the quality of the food and friendliness of the locals. Their conversation was strangely awkward considering the natural confidence of their earlier meeting. The bar's other patrons, however, noticed the subtle flirtation as they mirrored the other's actions and spoke directly into each other's eyes. Another holiday romance between two lonely travelers. Only later, after the alcohol had had its loosening effect, did the conversation deepen. They talked of why they were here alone and finally, against her better judgment, Kate opened up about her heartache of the past years and how events had led her back to the place where she had planned a future with the only man she believed she could ever love. She told him of things that had been locked deep inside her, things she had hidden even from her then husband.

She told him how happy she had been and yet also scared of having so much to lose. Her once-barricaded heart was that much more vulnerable. Their fights had been charged and frequent, like a beaten soldier blindly stumbling through a minefield. Any pebble had the potential to detonate. And there'd been many pebbles; things they had weathered before and couldn't, or wouldn't, do so again. By the time they had realized the extent of the damage, he was already gone and she was wearing another ring around her neck.

Looking up, Kate could see her pain and guilt reflected in the man's eyes. For the first time in years she didn't feel alone, she felt the unbearable burden begin to lift from her, only a bit but it was a start. She began to believe that maybe she had a future after all and maybe it could be with this man, with his kind blue eyes, wet with their shared tears.

They had come here separately to mourn their marriage but maybe there was hope. They were not unlike the ebb and flow of the tides, no matter how far the currents took them from each other, they would eventually find their way back to the shore.

Kate stood up and took Castle by the hand and led him away from the bar towards the beach where they had started to dream all those years ago. Tomorrow she would cancel her return flight; tonight they would work on renewing their promises.

Together, they danced in the moonlight and the music never stopped.


End file.
